


the finest balm

by 1001cranes



Series: A Matter of Chance [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Regency, Friendship, Gen, Regency, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Scott is a Good Friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-13
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-02-13 01:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2131893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1001cranes/pseuds/1001cranes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Well, that settles it," Scott said. "I’ll just have to marry you."</p><p>Stiles groaned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the finest balm

**Author's Note:**

> occurs at roughly the same time as 'fierce impatient ends'

"Well, that settles it," Scott said. "I’ll just have to marry you."

Stiles groaned.

"We could have a Winter wedding," Scott mused, idly pulling at the grass under his hands. "Right before the Season starts. My mother would cry into her handkerchief, and your father would manfully clench his jaw and pretend he wasn’t tearing up—"

Stiles had covered his eyes and was rolling around on the ground.

"—And Lydia would look devastatingly beautiful while Whittemore scowled at everyone. Or sobbed like a baby. He seems like he’d cry at weddings. Do you think Danny would come back from France if we gave him enough notice?"

"Oh my  _God,_ " Stiles said, and slapped at Scott’s hands. "Why are you so  _horrible.”_

"I’m trying to repair your lost virtue!" Scott said, but finally burst out laughing. Stiles couldn’t help laughing along with him, because even if the whole situation was slowly becoming more and more horrible, at least Scott would be there, sitting next to him on their front lawn, laughing. 

When they had finally thrown off their fit of giggles, Scott rolled onto his side to look at Stiles. 

"You have to know I would, though."

"Marry me?" Stiles nearly yelled, and they both winced at the pitch. "I mean, I’m certain you would, Scott, really —"

"I  _would_ ,” Scott insisted, indignant, like he didn’t think Stiles believed him, and they tussled on the grass again for a moment. “I would marry you any time you asked!”

"Stop yelling that!" Stiles hissed, and shoved his hand over Scott’s mouth to prevent him from yelling his reputable intentions to the entire County. “I’m not going to marry you, you dolt, and I very much doubt a refused engagement will do anything for my respectability right now.”

Scott blinked up at him for a moment. And then licked Stiles’s hand.

Stiles squawked and retaliated by rubbing it all over Scott’s face. ”Ugh! Is that a thing you’re going to do now?” he asked. 

"Asking you to marry me?"

“ _Licking_.”

"Oh." Scott paused for a moment to think about it. "Maybe? No. No, I don’t feel like I  _need_  to lick you, it was just - I don’t know, it wasn’t horrible. And I can tell you had apricot jam for breakfast this morning!”

"Seriously?"

Scott nodded.

"Another thing to add to the list," Stiles muttered. Though he had arranged to borrow a number of books from various circulating libraries, he had also burned through his meager quarterly funds on a few of the rarer volumes. He would certainly have to brush up on his Latin.

Scott winced. “That’s your experiments face. Your experiments face always ends in pain.” _  
_

"You can take it," Stiles said earnestly. "It will just be tasting things this time, I promise."

"I don’t trust your ‘I promise’ face either."

"Oh, come on! It’s the least you can do, after ruining my virtue. You know. Sort of."

"I offered to repair it! Sort of."

They fell silent for a moment.

"I know you would," Stiles said. His tone was unusually serious, given that he was more often moved to sarcasm and blitheness.  ”I know you would marry me, Scott, honest. And if it were bad enough, I might ask you to, but it’s  _not_. There’s no need to be dramatic.”

Scott seemed to realize Stiles had dug in his heels, for he nodded after a moment, looking defeated. ”Are you certain it’s alright? I worry when  _you_  call  _me_  dramatic.”

Stiles shrugged. “You know I’ve never been considered particularly well-behaved.” The whispers had certainly begun to swirl. But where his previous antics had eventually blown over with a sigh and cluck about youthful spirits, this one seemed to only be growing stronger. “Just imagine if you’d been caught out with me! My father would have gotten a special license, and we’d be in the church right now.” 

They both grimaced a little. If Stiles was being entirely truthful, it was likely not the first time either of them had contemplated the idea of marriage. It had certainly seemed a very real possibility growing up: they were of a similar age and temperament, complimentary social class, and their families had been friends besides. But while Stiles loved Scott, and he was sure his affections were returned in equal measure, their relationship had always been closer to brothers than lovers. It wouldn’t have been a  _bad_  marriage, for Stiles had seen enough of those to know the make of them, but it wouldn’t have been a true love match.

"I can’t help feeling it’s my fault," Scott confessed. "You wouldn’t even have been out that night if not for me."

Stiles flicked him in the ear, and laughed when Scott growled. “Well, it’s my fault you  _had_ to be out that night, so I should think we’re square. Besides, Scott Stilinski is a terrible name, I refuse to bestow it upon you. And you snore besides.”

"You kick!"

"I am a  _catch_ ,” Stiles protested loftily, and they dissolved in laughter again. “And don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you look at Miss Argent! I see where your affections lie! If you’re going to marry anyone this winter, it won’t be me.”

Scott flushed and began to pick at the grass again. “You say that as if I have a chance with her.”

"Why shouldn’t you?" 

"Her grandfather is a  _Duke_. Someday she’ll be a Duchess, and I’m - my father won’t even acknowledge me, I’m not anything!”

"You’re a gentleman," Stiles added stubbornly. "And what does that matter anyway, she  _likes_ you.”

"Do you really think so?"

"Scott, with the way you tromp all over their feet, no woman in the world would dance two dances with you in one night unless they liked you."

"You  _jerk_ ,” Scott said, and Stiles took off running toward the main house while Scott chased merrily after.

**Author's Note:**

> and feel free to follow me on tumblr! - the1001cranes.tumblr.com - I usually post the next bit of the Regency AU a bit early there.


End file.
